Healthy Careers, Healthy Communities

Powered by a grant from two local nonprofits, COCC is expanding the reach – and impact
– of its career-shaping health care programs

In unison, eight college students kick off their shoes, climb into hospital beds and
pull up the covers. But it’s not cause for alarm — no one’s feeling feverish. Rather,
a morning nursing assistant class is underway at Central Oregon Community College,
and the day’s training includes an exercise that pairs skill development with integrating
a patient’s perspective.

“Those of you in bed, you will have had a stroke,” explained Kari McDaniel, director
of COCC’s nursing assistant program, coaching the partnered-up students on the scenario. “Make sure you let your partner
know which side your ‘strong’ side is.”

Student Chelsea Bartlett, playing the part of a nursing assistant, dons rubber gloves
and gets into the spirit of the exercise. “I picked you out a cute outfit,” she said
to classmate Danita Sullivan, placing a fresh hospital gown with a tropical print
at the foot of the bed. Together, they navigate the tasks of getting a stroke patient
ready for the day — from changing clothes to cleaning eyeglasses — both getting the
chance to see the entire equation.

For Bartlett, who’s getting some experience while she applies to the college’s nursing
program, and for Sullivan, who’s forging a new path after a stint in retail, the CNA-1
training is a fast way to jumpstart a career. In a few short weeks, their training
will take them to workplace settings at both St. Charles Bend and Bend Transitional
Care, where clinical site tours will offer a glimpse into short- and long-term care
environments. By December, having completed their coursework and passing the certification
exam, they can be up and running as entry-level nursing assistants.

It’s a career that can be put in motion in a single term, though many students opt
to complete all three terms of the nursing assistant curriculum, plus certification,
for maximum capability and employability. Last year, according to the U.S. Bureau
of Labor Statistics, the mean wage for a certified nursing assistant in Oregon was
$33,230.

“These are not ceiling jobs,” explained Wendi Worthington, COCC’s health careers outreach
and recruitment coordinator, who is helping to connect career-seekers with the college’s
dental assisting, health information management, nursing, nursing assistant, paramedicine,
pharmacy technician (predominantly online) and medical assisting programs. “For example,
you can come in as an entry-level medical assistant and work your way up to all sorts
of interesting things, like running clinics.”

Worthington’s own job is brand-new. The grant-funded position aligns the needs of
three separate but interdependent audiences: COCC’s health industry programs; individuals
looking for career direction; and, the clinics and practices in perpetual need of
well-trained medical workers.

While the college has actively promoted its health career programs in the past — to
groups like regional high school students — this new dedicated job is spreading the
message on a much broader scale.

“I’ve been working with many different community organizations,” said Worthington.
“I’m going to be working with Juntos for Latinx students. I’ll be talking to students
in our adult basic skills classes. I was just at Bend High.” Whether it’s making an
announcement on a school PA system, traveling to John Day for a career event, or meeting
one-on-one with individuals, she’s finding avenues — large and small — to reach varied
audiences.

“I come from that mindset of helping people realize that there are college opportunities
for everyone, whether it’s right out of high school or a stay-at-home parent wanting
to go back into the workforce,” said the former nurse whose own gateway into health
care was an EMT course. “These programs are relatively short-term to get yourself
into an educated, high-demand field where you have marketable skills. These fields
can launch you.”

“These are not ceiling jobs,” explained Wendi Worthington, COCC’s health careers outreach
and recruitment coordinator, who is helping to connect career-seekers with the college’s
dental assisting, health information management, nursing, nursing assistant, paramedicine,
pharmacy technician (predominantly online) and medical assisting programs. “For example,
you can come in as an entry-level medical assistant and work your way up to all sorts
of interesting things, like running clinics.”

That “launch” aspect is exciting stuff to Heather Ficht. As the executive director
of East Cascades Works, a workforce development nonprofit that spans 10 counties in
the region, Ficht represents one of two agencies that secured the three-year grant
for COCC. “We brought together about a dozen business leaders from the health care
sector to better understand their workforce needs and challenges,” she said of the
grant’s backstory. “Immediately it emerged that we lack a robust homegrown talent
pipeline of trained and certified health care workers.” Part of the objective, she
added, is an emphasis on diversity. “It’s not just one target audience, but myriad
audiences.”

The other agency supporting the effort is the Central Oregon Health Council. Its leader,
Donna Mills, describes their focus as an “eyes-and-ears” approach to community improvement,
and presently they are working on projects like addressing the regional child care
crunch to free up more eager workers. While Mills sees health care jobs as a cornerstone
to the community, she also knows how they can positively impact the individual. “I
have friends who were medical assistants who became doctors,” she said.

Recent COCC graduate Lexi Hoeffner, who works at Bend Dental Group, is setting off
on a new path as a dental assistant. And beyond the reward of putting her interests
into action, there’s added meaning as well. “I’ve always loved anatomy and helping
people, so dental assisting seemed like a good fit,” she shared. “The very best thing
about my job is being able to help people change their lives.”